Jan Vishwas 2.0

Syllabus: GS2/Governance

Context

• The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was introduced in Lok Sabha.  

Major Provisions

• Decriminalising Offences: 
  • It seeks to amend 17 central Acts to mainly decriminalise or rationalise certain offences and penalties.  
  • These include the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the Legal Metrology Act, 2009, the Apprentices Act, 1961, and the New Delhi Municipal Council Act, 1994.
• Revision of fines and penalties: The Bill revises the monetary value of fines and penalties for several offences.
  • It further provides that fines and penalties specified by it will increase by 10% of the respective minimum amount every three years.
• Removal of penalties for the first instance of an offence: The Bill amends some Acts to provide for warnings in the first instance of an offence.
  • The Bill amends this to provide for issuance of a warning in case of the first offence, and levy of a monetary penalty for subsequent offences.
• Adjudication of penalties: The Bill amends certain Acts to provide for the appointment of adjudicating officers to hold inquiries and adjudicate penalties. 

Need for the Amendment

• More than 75% of all crimes are defined under laws that regulate areas beyond core criminal justice, such as shipping, taxation, financial institutions, and municipal governance.
  • There are some inexplicably high punishments for seemingly routine offences.
  • While many such criminal provisions are rarely enforced, they may lead to the arbitrary exercise of power by the state. 
• The excessive criminalisation further burdens India’s already burdened legal system. 

Significance 

• The goal of Jan Vishwas is to create a more business-friendly environment and promote ease of living by eliminating unnecessary legal hurdles and simplifying the regulatory landscape.

Source: IE